Honda and Red Bull have reached an agreement for further use of the V6 Hybrid in Formula 1. Red Bull will continue to build and develop the engines itself from 2022.
Honda will leave after this year as an engine supplier in Formula 1. Red Bull Racing and sister team AlphaTauri now use the Japanese V6 Hybrid and can continue to do so after 2021. Red Bull and Honda have reached an agreement whereby Red Bull will continue to build and develop the power sources after this year.
Red Bull sets up its own facility to work on the engines once Honda has taken its hands off the project. Last week it was announced that Formula 1 will leave the engine regulations unchanged for the coming years, so it is therefore manageable for Red Bull to continue with the power source on its own. Improvements may be made at the detail level, but no major changes are coming. Completely new engine regulations will only come into effect in 2025.
Honda’s exit from Formula 1 came as a big surprise last year. The power units have been doing quite well in recent years, after a very mediocre period as an engine supplier to McLaren. The reason for the departure, according to Honda, was its pursuit of ‘CO2 neutrality by 2050’. The Japanese say they want to fully use their money and R&D on this and with the knowledge gained in racing. Further development and investment in the F1 project would no longer link up with this.